HOPE needs help to provide food and gifts for the season

As the same time that Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) is fielding a growing number of requests for food, clothing and other necessities, the Middlebury nonprofit is also readying its annual Holiday Shop and food boxes to ensure area folks in need have a joyful Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Recycle overload! Where do the thrown-aways go?

The 2023 Vermont Waste Composition Study conducted by the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation concluded that textiles grew as a portion of Vermont’s aggregated municipal solid waste (MSW), from 4.2% in 2018 to 6.5% in 2023.

Hunger is surging in the county

Hunger in Addison County is reaching historic proportions, according to Jeanne Montross, longtime leader of the Middlebury nonprofit known as Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects, or HOPE.

HOPE, farm team up to distribute produce

Two local organizations are teaming up to tackle food security in Addison County and provide more residents with fresh, locally grown produce. 

HOPE gathers food, gifts for holidays

The headquarters of Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) at 282 Boardman St. in Middlebury will be extra busy through the end of this year, as the agency makes sure a record number of local families in need are fed and have gifts to open during the h … (read more)

Furniture auction will raise funds for HOPE

The fine furniture in question was recently acquired from Middlebury’s Woodware by former Vermont Coffee Company owner Paul Ralston and his spouse Deb Gwinn, who a few years ago established a philanthropic entity called “Little Village Enterprises” to hel … (read more)

Inflation, flooding hamper charitable food efforts

MIDDLEBURY — Inflation, housing instability and the rising costs of fuel have all contributed to unprecedented use of the Middlebury food shelf at Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) this summer. And record rainfall this summer is taking a toll on s … (read more)

Letter to the editor: HOPE is thankful for all the community support

On behalf of everyone at HOPE — staff, constituents, board — a hearty thank you to the fabulous women who once again ran our holiday shop.

Letter to the editor: Gender-neutral gifts important

Ms. Schmidt’s letter provoked some discussion at HOPE and staff have agreed that next year, our tags with gift suggestions will only be according to age categories. Genders won’t be listed.

HOPE looks to jolly up the holidays for those in need

The non-profit Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) wants to make sure everyone can share a spot at the dinner table and Christmas tree.

HOPE stops textile and shoe recycling

It’s a move that could significantly add to the local waste stream and create issues for some of the area’s other clothing resale shops.

New mobile refrigerator key to local food supply

Thanks to a grant-funded refrigerator on wheels, HOPE will increasingly be able to bring food to hungry, transportation-challenged people — especially those in the rural fringes of the county who are homebound, frail and elderly.

HOPE Holiday Shop readies for kids in need

Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects (HOPE) will reopen its Holiday Shop to in-person browsing next week after a two-year hiatus forced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Human food shelf to serve pets, too

Beginning Monday, Nov. 15, Middlebury’s Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects’s (HOPE) food shelf will be open not only to humans, but also their four-legged friends.

VUHS seniors walk for HOPE

The annual Vergennes Union High School senior class walkathon went on as scheduled on Monday despite rainy, cold weather.

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